Scribing tool



March 20, 1962 E. w. IOVlNELLl SCRIBING TOOL Filed April 10, 1959 INVENTOR. EDWARD W. IOVINELLI ATTORNEYS United 3,025,602 Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3,025,602 SCRIBING TOOL Edward William Iovinelli, 76 Langdon St, Providence, R.I. Filed Apr. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 805,479 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-41) This invention relates to a scribing tool for counter tops of the laminated plastic type such as sold under the trademark Formica.

In the securing of laminated plastic tops or other counter tops on a counter, it is usual to use a type of cement or adhesive which makes necessary the placing of the top in position accurately the first time, as after the adhesive contacts both surfaces, it is impossible to move the top. Accordingly, before the adhesive is applied in this operation, the counter top is placed in position and some sort of a tool is used for partially cutting through the top and then finishing by use of a file. Perhaps, several strokes of the file after cutting is needed. The tool used for this type of operation is generally a portable jointer which is a rather heavy power operated cumbersome tool and one of a precision nature which is not only difficult to handle but also expensive.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a hand tool by the use of which the counter top may be accurately scribed or sufficiently cut through so that breaking may be easily had, the breaking being at such a location that the finishing by use of a file may be easily accomplished.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hand tool which may have a light scribe or marking on a first pass and a deeper cut or marking on each additional pass until the required depth of kerf is provided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a face for the tool for engaging the counter, which face is interchangeable for the provision of either a face in a single plane or a face on an are for following curved surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool which is so shaped that it is well balanced and may be gripped with both hands in its manipulation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scribe which may be readily adjustable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scribe which may be interchangeable so that a worn scribe may be replaced or removed for sharpening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scribe which may be operated in either direction by a slight modification or adjustment of its parts.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tool;

FIGURE 2 is an end view looking at the fact of the tool which engages the counter;

FIGURE 3 is a section on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the scribe and its holder; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modified face plate.

In proceeding with this invention, I have provided a body of solid form usually of an aluminum or light alloy material which is shaped for convenient operation. The body is equipped with a handle and through suitable bores properly directed, scribes are mounted one for operating the tool in one direction and the other for operating the tool in the other direction. The shaping of the body is such that there is a portion overhanging the scribes and this portion serves to mount a presser member which may be adjusted so as to force the scribe which is being used more or less into the counter top which is being marked. This presser member is so pivoted that it may be urged toward either one of the scribes which is being used and may be equipped with a. cooperating scribe. There is a face portion for the scribe which engages the counter to glide the tool and this face portion may be interchangeable and either in a flat plane or arcuate to better follow a curved surface.

With reference to the drawings, 10 designates generally the body which as here shown is of a solid block-type of aluminum or some light metal alloy and is provided with a face 11 which will engage the edge of the counter upon which the top is to be positioned. This face, when pressed against the edge of the counter, serves to guide the tool in its movement along the counter so as to follow the counter. A slot 12 extends inwardly from this face at right angles to the face providing a lower surface to extend along the lower surface of the counter top which is to be marked. The body portion is narrower at its end 13 away from the face 11 than the body portion adjacent the face 11, and the slot 12 is sufficiently deep so that it extends through the edge portions 14 which are adjacent the narrow portion 15 of the body. Above the slot 12 and adjacent the face, the body is cut away as at 16 leaving an overhanging portion 17, the end 18 of which projects beyond the vertical plane of the face 11, and in this portion I have provided a dove-tail recess 19 which receives a dove-tailed shape hand shank 20 having a handle portion 21 and secured in position by screw 22.

A pair of scribes 23 and 24 (see FIGURE 2) are placed at an angle through the body so that their point 25 will be located in the plane of the face 11 of the body and are usually just slightly inwardly from the side of the body. These scribes are each mounted in a holder 26 (FIG. 4) which. is split as at 27 and threaded at its outer surface to pass through a threaded bore 28 in the body. A handle 29 at the end of the holder serves as a means for rotating the holder so as to move the scribe axially to position the point 25 in line with the face 11 of the body.

A presser plate 30 which is thicker at its mid portion 31 than at its end is pivoted at its mid portion by a screw 32 which is on the center line of the body and directly below the handle which is also on the center line, and on this pivot it is free to rock. In order to urge this presser plate toward one or the other of the scribes, screws 33 and 34 are provided passing through. the overhanging portion 17 of the body. Thus, if the tool is to be moved to the right as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the scribe 23 will be the one acting and the presser plate will be moved by screwing down on the thumb screw 33 so as to cause the end 35 of the plate to engage the surface of the counter top. If the 0001 were to be moved to the left as shown in these figures, then the screw 33 would be backed out and the screw 34 would be moved downwardly to cooperate with the scribe 24 to urge it into the counter top. In some cases it may be desirable to also scribe or mark the upper surface of the counter top at the same time that a kerf is made in the lower surface. In order to do this I provide additional scribes 43, 44 in the presser plate either of which may be brought into operation simultaneously with the scribe beneath it.

In operation the tool is placed so as to receive the counter top in the slot 12 with the surface 11 engaging the edge of the counter, and one screw, such as 33, will be moved to cause the presser plate to urge one of the scribes as 23 into the lower surface of the counter top and the scribe, as 43, with the upper surface. With this setting, the tool will be moved along the edge of the counter causing the scribe to mark and cut into the opposite surfaces of the counter top. After one pass has beenmade in this manner, the tool will be brought back to the starting position and the screw will be turned down a little further and then another pass will be made,

and so forth, until the desired depths of kerfs are provided, after which the tool may be removed and the portion of the counter top desired to be removed may be broken off of the counter after which the edge of the counter top may be finished by the use of a few strokes of afile.

The face 11 which engages the counter may be interchanged by providing it as a separate unit as shown at 38 in FIGURES 1 and 2 having a tongue and slot connection as at 39 with the body and held in place by screws 40. In such a unit the face may be provided either in a single plane as at 11 or on an arc as at 11' (FIG. 5), the are serving to better engage rounded counters where such are experienced. It will be apparent that in use the tool may be moved by use of one hand on the handle 21 and the other hand grasping the narrow portion 15 of the body so as to draw it along the counter top for scribing the same. A depression with a knurled surface 4-1 serves to obtain a better grip on the body.

I claim:

1. A scribing tool for a counter top comprising a body having a face of substantial area to engage the outer edge of the counter upon which the top is to fit, said face having a slot extending inwardly of the body from the face to receive the edge of the counter top, a scribe in said body projecting above the upper edge of said face and into the plane of said slot and terminating at a location which is a projection of said face and above the lower surface of said slot for engaging the under surface of the counter top, and a member pivoted above said slot for engaging the opposite upper side of the counter top and a screw engaging said member at one side of the pivot to urge it toward said scribe.

2. A scribing tool as in claim 1 wherein there are a pair of scribes each similarly terminating and said member is pivoted between said scribes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,593,321 Wiegand July 20, 1926 1,999,594 Owen Apr. 30, 1935 2,274,727 Neiss et al Mar. 3, 1942 2,654,953 Phelps Oct. 13, 1953 

